Dancing Queen
by fitzdillore22
Summary: This is a sequel to My Adventure in Equestria Please don't read this until you have read the first! Getting for the big dance and everything is going according to plan. I have a new boyfriend, we've been nominated as King and Queen of the dance, and every moment with him is bliss. I haven't told him about my past and I don't plan to. But what if my past comes back to seek revenge?
1. Chapter 1

MLP MAIE Sequel: Dancing Queen

Finally on My Adventure in Equestria...

"You were going to ask me something. What was it?" My new boyfriend asked me.

I looked over my shoulder back at the mirror which glittered a little by some unexplainable light before I turned back, and answered laughing a little.

"It wasn't that important." We continued to walk, my head on his shoulder, his hand in mine then, as if on cue, as it began to snow...

A week later...

"Jenna, come on ask him!" My friend egged me on during lunch. I was sitting next to Sterling who tried not choking on his PB and J as my friend kept elbowing me in the side. "Ask him, ask him, ask him!" I had to put down my spoonful of orange Jello because my friend was shaking my hand so much. I turned to her and asked

"What makes you think I haven't asked him already?" I asked her. Her eyes grew wide because this thought had not yet occurred to her. Then the fear disappeared and brightened with a know-it-all grin.

"You would have told me about it." She smiled. I looked at her, shrugged then said

"Maybe I would have and maybe I wouldn't have." Before turning back to my food. But she wouldn't accept this answer and walked around to Sterling.

"Did she ask you to the dance yet?" She asked him. He looked up slightly, amused at this interrogation, smiled slyly then said

"No comment." And continued eating his sandwich. I smiled and grabbed his hand as my friend went crazy. We exited the cafeteria hand in hand then he bent down and asked of me

"When are you going to ask me to the dance?" I looked up at him confused.

"I thought it was understood that we were going to the dance together." I countered "Are we not?"

"When are you going officially to ask me, I mean." He clarify with another sly smile. I laughed then tried to mimic his sly grin.

"Well, how does tomorrow, the cafeteria, in front of Dixie, sound?"

"That sounds perfect." He agreed. "I'll be there." He hugged me before running off to his next class, which happened to be band.

"You better be!" I called after him laughing. I continued watching his long strides before I wandered off to my own class. As I walked down the hall to math, I smiled, small at first, until it turned into a huge goofy grin then did a little dance.

"Are you alright?" My math teacher asked unamused as I spun into the classroom.

"Fine, happy in fact." I giggled foolishly like a school girl. And it was true, I was the happiest I'd ever been in my entire life. Everything was perfect.

Far away in a distant land, an evil queen was looking into a dirty mirror. The mirror's surface was not reflective or still however. It was bubbling and always changing. She continued to stare at the cloudy surface as a subject of her own kind came into the room. He gently bowed on his tender knee when he was half way to the queen.

"What is it?" She questioned not happy to be interrupted one bit.

"Your Highness," He rose but didn't move any closer. "Your subjects are starving and are thinking of rebelling against and replacing you." She seemed unphased, never looking away from the mirror.

"Who are these rebellious subjects?" She questioned. Her horn began to glow red, a quill and scroll appeared next to the loyal subject. The subject grasped the quill between his teeth and wrote in dark red ink until he had done his fill. Once he had finished, she reappeared the scroll next to her, used the quill and added on more name before throwing the scroll into the mirror's bubbling surface. The mirror grew bright red then black, a void appearing in its middle. The subject in the room suddenly felt a wind pushing and pulling him towards the mirror.

"Your Highness?" He questioned as the large door burst open with every one of the dishonest subjects flew into the mirror's void.

"A traitor to anyone in my kingdom does me no good." She said simply before the first subject was the last to zoom into the mirror. Once the void swallowed its final victim, it went back to its shifting surface once more. "Let's see if those foals find who I am looking for." She whispered to herself as the mirror's surface became clearer revealing what looked like a high school however she had never seen one of this design or from the landscape that laid before her eyes. Everything looked foreign and yet, strangely familiar...

"Hey Sterling, there is something I have to ask you." I winked as I sat down at our table the next day. Dixie's head whipped around and she shushed the person she was previously having a conversation with about the insane substitute in English.

"Hmm, what is that Jenna?" He asked in the same hammed up tone as I had.

"Dixie?" Her conversation partner asked but Dixie waved both her hands in their face, shushing them.

"Sterling," I paused. "Would you please... Get me a napkin?" Even though the desperado was in front of me, he was on the point of laughing as he lend over me to reach a napkin and as Dixie was trying not to burst of frustration and anger. Both we failing horribly. Sterling handed me the napkin and I placed it on my tray before grabbing his hand.

"Seriously Sterling," I grew very serious when I grabbed his hand and looked into his beautiful eyes. "Will you go to the dance with me?" I asked feeling a slight blush rushing to my cheeks. I saw the same on his face along with a content smile.

"Nothing would make me happier." He grinned before hugging me to the cheers of Dixie and my other friends. I blushed even more and shushed my friends with my hand as they collectively awed at this adorable sight.

Since my adventure to Equestria, I had grown more popular because of my new found confidence and the fact I was dating someone as amazing as Sterling added to people's want to hang out with me more. Which lead to the student consul deciding that Sterling and I would be head decorators for the dance. While we were getting things set up with others in our grade, Dixie came rushing into the room almost knocking over a guy standing on a ladder.

"Sorry!" She called over her shoulder then stopped in front of us.

"Where's the fire Dixie?" Sterling asked jokingly but Dixie glared at him with daggers as she bent over from running too hard and too fast.

"Shut. Up." She wheezed. "I just found out something absolutely amazing about you two." She pointed up at us. I laid a hand on her back as she regained her breathe. "You two are candidates for King and Queen of the dance." My hand snapped to my mouth as I gasped.

"You're joking!" I cried. She coughed and shook her head. I looked up at Sterling looking for what emotion to have. Happy, scared, shocked, glad, excited, what? He looked proud as he gazed down at me.

"You will make a lovely queen." He whispered to me. I blushed and told him to shut up. Even in Equestria I was just a princess but to be a queen anywhere, for me, was not reality. It had to be a dream. I pinched myself just to be sure.

"Do you think we'll even get picked?" I asked Sterling after Dixie left. "I mean, who are we up against?" I ran through the list of the top couples in our class that we'd be up against. Ashley and Adam, who were the most popular. John and Allie, as known to be the musical couple. Finally with the couple who had been dating since second grade practically, Colin and Jessie. Sterling grabbed my hand pulling me back to reality.

"Hey," He moved a strand of hair out of my face to behind my ear. "Don't worry about that now. Let's take one step at a time." I nodded, remaining calm. "First, let's get this gym decorated." He smiled grabbing some nearby streamers. I smiled, forgot about the popularity contest and kept decorating. When it was six o'clock, we all pinched in for pizza. One by one, everyone left, leaving me, Sterling, and a mutual friend of ours alone.

"Okay, is there anything else left for me to do?" He asked finally. I looked around the gym and was about to answer when Sterling cut in.

"The only thing you have to do left is see if the speakers work." He winked and our friend winked back. I was confused.

"Sterling, we already checked the speakers, remember?" But as the music swelled, I realized it was a slow song. I turned to see our friend slip out of the gym just as Sterling bowed.

"May I have this dance?" He asked still bent. I laughed of of surprise and slight awe at such a romantic thing for him to do for someone like me.

"Of course Sir Sterling." I curtseyed back. He smiled as he straightened and placed a hand my waist. I rolled my eyes as I placed a hand on one of his shoulders. We both looked at our spare hands intertwine. I looked up and blushed because he was already staring. We swayed slowly in the decorated gym, listening to one of my favorite songs ever; Yellow by Coldplay. I hummed along then he spun me out and back again. I grinned brightly for I had always wanted to be spun around like a princess.

"You're so beautiful." Sterling whispered softly. I looked up to give him an exasperated look, but froze at the sheer love in his gaze at that exact moment.

"You're not too bad yourself mister." I winked and went to lean my head on his chest. He took the hand from my waist and hooked a finger under my chin tilting it up, suggesting to keep looking up at him.

"I really mean it, Jenna. Don't ever forget that, okay?" He was so concentrated and urgent for me to understand. I nodded.

"I won't." I promised. "Are you okay? You seem a little... intense today." I pointed out to him. The song ended and he pulled away from me.

"I'm fine." He muttered as he went to grab his backpack and left.

I stood alone in the empty gym wondering what the hell was going on with my boyfriend? Was it because I hadn't told him what happened the night he asked me out and what I was doing in an alley in the first place even though he had kept asking me to tell him? Should I tell him that I was an alicorn princess in a world I once thought just a kid's TV show, but ended up being an alternate reality?

"What am I suppose to do?" I cried out in anguish, which echoed off the gym's walls with no answer or reply.

Little did I know, that was the least of my problems compared to the ones that were already on their way.


	2. Chapter 2

"This one is alright, but it doesn't say... 'Princess'." Dixie said before trying on another dress for the dance. I hated dress shopping at best, but ever since Sterling walked out of the gym yesterday, I hadn't been able to get a hold of him. He was ignoring all my texts and calls, even our friends couldn't get anything out of him. It was like he was avoiding me, but why? "Hey!" Dixie called me back. She looked both worried and annoying.

"Sorry." I mumbled looking at the dress clearly now, but she wasn't concerned with that anymore. She sat down beside me and grabbed my hand.

"Everything will be okay." She reassured me. "Now, try on a dress or two, get that boy trouble off your mind." She fought her way down an aisle bursting with puffy ballgown dresses.

"I don't know Dixie. He's acting really weird and you know I'm just going to wear the same dress I've been wearing to every dance." I was talking about my orange and gold ballgown dress that make me already feel like a princess and in which I ruled the dance floor.

"Don't be a wet blanket Jenna." She ordered through the frilly and fluffy. "Here try this on, just for kicks." I gasped at the dress she brought to me. It was the dress of my dreams. Green, purple and blue all swirling into a perfect chaos with glitter that looked like stars falling down the bust and into the swirling skirt, making it look like an explosion of stars and galaxies.

"That is quite beautiful..." I drooled then looked at the size. That got me every time. It was always too small when it was something beautiful. But to my shock, it was my size.

"Go try it on." Dixie urged pushing me into a changing room. "You try that on, I have to make a call." Dixie said through the door, but I hardly heard it anyways, I was already slipping of my jeans.

Dixie slipped through the store until she found a quiet corner where no one would hear her conversation. She browsed through her contacts, found what she was looking for and hit call.

"Hello?" A voice growled on the other end of the line.

"Hi it's me. She's trying on the dress now." Dixie whispered then glanced over he shoulder to make sure no one was listening.

"Good, and you are sure she will find it to her liking?" The cold voice asked with concern.

"Trust me, I checked her stories, that's all she writes about." Dixie assured the other line.

"Fine." The voice stated, it knew it would have to wait and be patient for the plan to work.

"And I will get my end of the deal, right?" Dixie asked in an almost commanding tone.

"Believe me," The voice smiled as it said "You'll get what's coming to you." It began to chuckle evilly when Dixie heard Jenna calling for her.

"I have to go. Bye." She whispered quickly before hanging up, plastering a smile on her face and went to find the person she hated most in the world; her best friend.

"I don't know if I should get it." I confessed to Dixie as I looked down at the beautiful dress in my hands.

"Well, why not? You deserve something nice. Plus, Sterling would go absolutely bananas for you while you're wearing that." She smoothed out the imperfections in the ruffed effect of the skirt. "Maybe he'll even kiss you on the dance floor!" She squeaked with delight at the thought. I blushed at the thought of Sterling's lips touching mine.

"He wouldn't kiss me on the dance floor for the first time." I assured both of us lamely.

"Oh quite being such a stick in the mud and get it, I'm sure your mom would understand; plus it's on sale." She looked at the tag then showed it to me. It was only a hundred bucks instead of four-hundred.

"Yeah, but still..." I said shaking my head then went to hang it back up. She huffed as she grabbed it out of my hands then said.

"You know what? I'm getting it for you anyways, Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas, there's nothing you can do about it." She stuck her tongue out before heading to the counter to pay for it.

"No you can't spend a hundred dollars on me!" I protested running after her.

"Too late." She smiled at me as the cashier rang her up for both dresses.

For the rest of the week, I thanked her repeatedly until the dance. Little did I know the danger and the fate she had sealed for me.


	3. Chapter 3

'Hey, what are you up to?' I texted Sterling again for the third time that day. I tried to finish up my math homework but my mind was somewhere else completely. Why wasn't he responding back to me? Maybe I was being paranoid but I wanted to know! I picked up my phone again then texted 'Are you mad at me?' before I could change my mind about not texting him that had been eating at the back of my mind like a mouse trapped in a cupboard. I placed my phone down again then finished up my math. Upon completing it, I received a text back to my utter surprise.

'No.' was all it said. I thought about waiting to respond back but I missed him so I texted back quickly

'Then why are you avoiding me?'

'I'm not avoiding you.'

'Um, yes you are...'

'No I'm not! Look, it's just complicated." Even though I loved our perfect texting grammar, I was still highly annoyed.

'Then why can't you tell me what's wrong?' I pressed, I knew I shouldn't by I wanted to know.

'Jenna, believe me it is not you, it's me and my problems. I am just have problems with figuring things out I mean, we're just high schoolers...' My blood ran cold, that did not sound good.

'Sterling,' It took me a minute or two to work up the courage to text him the next part of the message.

'Are you breaking up with me?' Send. My heart pounded and I clung to my phone as the seconds seemed to drag. What would happen if he did break up with me? Would we still have a chance to win best couple of the dance? What if we were asked to dance as the winning couple? How awkward would that be? Vibrate. My fingers fumbled and I dropped my phone, knocking out the battery.

"Fuck," I whispered. "Ten points." I muttered to myself as my phone started up again. I waited impatiently as my phone chirped to life.

'Jenna, listen to me: IT'S NOT YOU IT'S ME AND I WOULD NEVER BREAK UP WITH YOU.' I was so confused but called down the hall just then.

"Supper is ready."

"Okay." I called back and left my phone on the bed because no phones are allowed at the dinner and I knew I would text him if I had it within three feet of me. I tried not to obsess as I ate the grilled chicken over angel pasta and fresh vegetables and mom asked me about my day.

"Mom, you don't want to hear about high school drama do you?" I questioned with a 'Really?' expression.

"Well I don't know, it's kind of interesting really, but if you don't want to, you don't have to." She smiled taking a bite out of a particularly long green bean.

"I assure you, it's not worth telling." I promised then continued eating in silence.

Somewhere not too far away...

Dixie entered the alley that held only a mirror with an odd reflective surface with nothing in it except the background. She walked up to it then looked around to make sure she was alone, then pulled out her phone.

"Okay, I found the mirror now what?" She inquired.

"Now take out the device we gave you and place it where we told you, very carefully." The dark voice ordered. She nodded and placed the phone on the ground before taking her backpack off and pulling out a rod-like device with eight cables coming off of it with clamps on the end of the cables. She fastened the clamps on the sides and corners of the mirror securely. Finally she took the rod, imagined Jenna's face in the surface then thrusting the rod into the mirror's surface savagely. She let a roar of satisfaction from the slight jolt the rod gave off and the thought of Jenna being destroyed by her hand. She looked around again, picked up her phone then left the alley whispering "It's done." Into the phone before slamming its cover shut.


	4. Chapter 4

"One more picture!" My mom cooed adjusting the camera yet again.

"Mom," I whined but managed a smile for the camera that wasn't one that looked like I wanted to murder someone.

"I can't help it! I'm just so proud of you." She added before pinching my cheek like any proud parent. As I rubbed my cheek, the doorbell rang.

"That will be Sterling." I mentioned and went for the door, but my mother stopped me.

"Actually, why don't you check your hair and make-up one last time?" I looked confused for a moment then she said "I'd like to talk to Sterling alone for a minute." I rolled my eyes but headed back up the stairs towards the bathroom as she opened the door. I managed to catch a snip of mom's dialoge before I was out of hear shot. "Sterling, you look handsome. Jenna will be down in a minute. I just wanted to-" I shut the door and looked in the mirror again. My hair was fine and my make-up was fine but I applied another coat of lipstick out of nerves. I noticed my hand was shaking a little.

"Jenna," I informed my reflection. "You're fine." My reflection shook its head unsure. "Hey," It looked up. "You're beautiful." It blushed then pushed the thought away as it grew excited at what Sterling would think. Someone then knocked on the door.

"Knock, knock." Sterling called. I put down my lipstick and capped it.

"Who's there?" I called back grinning.

"Your date." He replied back.

"Your date who?" I inquired, edging towards the door.

"Your date wants you." He smiled then added to dull my blush "To come out of there so we can get going." I opened the door and smiled as I looked up into Sterling's blue eyes. He blushed then smiled. "Wow, you look beautiful."

"Shut up." I muttered then instantly regretted it for I that was all I had wanted for so many days now. I wanted his undivided and loving attention.

"No." He said simply and pulled me into a hug. I breathed in the sent of woods and vanilla he always bore as he held me close to him. I saw a sudden flash of a camera and saw Mom quickly run back down the stairs smiling like an utter goofball.

"Mom!" I groaned after her at the embarrassment she caused me in that moment with my cheeks flaring up a beet red as Sterling chuckled deeply.

Somewhere in town...

"This dance is going to be perfect." Dixie hummed to herself as she applied yet another layer of make-up. She did a once over again. The red dress looked fiery, the dark make-up matched it, and her hair was perfect. "Not bad for a queen." She smiled to herself just as her phone let out a ring. She was a little annoyed as she flipped her phone open. "Hello?" She asked, irritated.

"Is everything ready?" The dark voice asked her, it sounded almost excited.

"Yes sir, the rod is in place and she is wearing the dress to the dance with her date. Too bad she won't be able to enjoy it." She giggled evilly looking in the mirror again.

"Yes, quite a pity." The voice agreed.

"Hey, will I still get to be queen after all of this?" She asked pulling on a strand of hair nervously. "Because I won't do it unless I get to be queen of the dance."

"Of course you'll be the queen of the dance," The voice promised "Silly human." It added as an after thought.

"What?" Dixie asked, unsure if she had heard correctly.

"Nothing, see you tonight." The voice called before hanging up.

"Yes." Dixie agreed before snapping her phone shut. "And this time," She took her lipstick and drew a stick person that somewhat resembled Jenna and drew a thick, red 'X' across the mirror's surface. "Jenna won't know what hit her." She then cackled an evil laugh before grabbing her purse and running out the door. But she came back and grabbed a little knob that was next to the lipstick stained mirror.

"Can't forget this." She smiled to herself before kissing it affectionately and stowing it in her purse proudly.

"Look out world, here comes your queen." She smiled slamming the front door shut with a bang.

"Do I look okay?" I asked Sterling as we pulled up into the parking lot after dinner. I was twitting horribly from adjusting my causation to my hair and back again. He parked his car then grabbed my hands gently I looked up into his reassuring eyes.

"You'll be fine and you look beautiful." He promised I went flush again then asked him a question that had been eating away at my mind for a week now.

"Sterling, why did you avoid me after we set up decorations?" It was his turn to go red, he released my hands then mumbled something about heading inside but I grabbed his arm. "Please tell me now before we get too much attention." I squeezed his biscup gently. "Please." He breathed deeply then said.

"I promise I will tell you tonight, just not right now okay?" I was anything but happy will that answer but I accepted it with a nod.

"Okay fine." I huffed as he got out of the car then came around to my side to open the door. "Thanks." I mumbled as I stepped out gingerly, making sure not to step on my new dress.

"Jenna!" I turned to see Dixie running towards us in her dress. It was a blazing red, streaking across the cool parking lot. When she reached me she gave me a hug then noticed Sterling. "Why don't you look dashing?" She smiled as she nodded at Sterling while wrapping an arm around my own. I didn't enjoy the touch so I gently broke it off then stood but Sterling who wrapped his own arm around my waist. This touch I did enjoy because it made me feel warm and loved while Dixie's felt forced and cold. She noticed this, but blew it off and turned towards the lit up windows of the school. "Let's go!" She cried charging towards the school like a Calvary call. We both laughed before following her.

"Shall we?" Sterling asked, holding the door open for me.

"I guess so." I smiled entering down the hallway. We nodded towards the principals, who let us pass without asking to see our tickets because they knew, as part of being nominated for king and queen, we got free admission. I thought about waiting for Dixie who was fifth in line to get a ticket but she told us to go on ahead.

We entered the beautiful decorated gym to the sound of 'Party Rock Anthem'.

"Good DJ." I yelled at Sterling over the loud music blasting from the speakers. I was already liking the music taste immanently and already knew the DJ personally. He wave at me, noticing me, and I waved back in return smiling as I did so.

Oh yes, I knew then and there that tonight would be a night to remember.

But little did I know, it would be for all the wrong reasons.


	5. Chapter 5

The days past with a surprisingly slow rate. I was going mad. When I wasn't working or thinking of new ideas for videos, I was cleaning. It was my way to reveal stress and anxiety. Dan let me clean where I pleased but asked me not to go in his office and he promised he would clean it up when I had finished every room in the house. I left him be and went about my days cleaning, recording, editing, and working in general just waiting for the fourteen days to end so we could find out at last if we could have a family together.

I was cleaning the kitchen floor when the house phone rang. I groaned, dropped the rag into the bucket and tip toed around where I had cleaned to reach the phone just before the last ring.

"Hello?" I asked not seeing the number in time.

"Hey Phil, it's Jennifer." I checked the nearby calendar, only five days had past so there was no way it could be a call about the pregnancy or lack there of. "Phil?" She asked to see if I was still there.

"Yeah, hi, what's up?" I felt so disorganized and out of it. I heard a smile in her voice as she continued.

"Well, I was wondering if you are up to anything right now because I could fancy a stroll or a cup of tea and a chat or something. Anything really, I just feel really lonely right now." I then had a glimpse of just how far America was to this girl on the other end of the phone. She had no family here, it didn't seem like any good friends and now sperm inside of her that could turn into a baby she wouldn't get to keep at the end of nine months. America was very far away indeed.

"Yeah I could go for a walk, it's beautiful out right now anyways." I pulled back a nearby curtain to reveal a cloudy but still blue sky.

"Great," She sounded relieved and happy. "See you at the park." She smiled after we ironed out the details.

"See you there. Bye." I waved while still clinging onto the phone

"Bye." She grinned before hanging up. I did the same then went and cleaned up my supplies. I made it to the park ten minutes ahead of schedule but she was already waiting, looking at the nearby playground set where children played and parents somewhat relaxed. She was smiling at them lovingly as if they were her own. I thought sadly about the future when she would give us the life she obviously so craved when she noticed me and came towards me.

"Hey Phil." She smiled but it vanished when she saw my face clearly. "What's wrong?" She questioned, I wasn't going to tell her but something else slipped out instead.

"What will you do after the baby comes?" She looked startled a little. "Hypothetically, if there is a baby to come..." I continued as we began walking down one of the many paths in the park.

"Hypothetically," She repeated the word considering it, tasting it in her mouth, checking the depth of the question itself. "I will give you the greatest gift to give and then move on with my life." She finished. We continued walking with our hands in our pockets talking about an unsure future like it wasn't killing either of us.

"Really? You won't be mad or upset?" I kept prodding to see if it was true or not.

"Phil, what am I going to do with a baby?" She asked in reply. "I can't even take care of myself much less a baby."

"What do you mean?" I inquired, she stopped and took in a deep breathe. I had stepped on a nerve, I could tell but she continued on as if nothing had happened.

"I mean, I lost my job in a country I have always wanted to be my whole life and now I'm renting my womb out to the two people who convinced me to move here in the first place." She blurted, after hearing these words for the first time and admitting them out loud was too much for her to bear. She found the nearest park bench and cried.

I was at a lost for words as the tears slipped from her face and fell down. By now, the sky was very overcast and all the children were told by the parents to go home, in fear of getting rained on. When I finally sat down next to her out of the lack of strength my legs had, it began to rain. Jennifer laughed dishearteningly as the rain moisten her hair while her tears wetting her face and hands.

"The icing on the cake!" She yelled at the sky who rumbled back in response. Even looking back now, even after she was done giving birth, this was the most broken moment I had ever seen her. The rain falling, her hair wet, tears streaming down her face while she yelled at the sky, this was the hardest moment for her in her life and I felt like an unworthy witness to this, her shattering moment. But even so, I was still her friend and her companion. I gave her a sad smile, opening the umbrella I had thought to bring along, held it overhead, wrapped a long arm around her normal sized shoulders with no effort and waited. She cried into my shoulder until there were only sniffles left in her and she rested her weary head against my now moist shoulder.

"Sorry." She mumbled stuffy. I pulled out a hankie and handed it to her. "Thanks." She replied and blew her nose loudly before returning it to me.

"Keep it." I prompted, she thanked me again before pocketing it. "If things were so bad to begin with," I started unsure but the rest came out in a rush. "Why didn't you just go back to America when you had earned enough money to?" She laughed humorlessly.

"Return to a country where my family is so messed up that they can't be around each other two minutes without fighting while they judge you more harshly than your worst enemies and don't accept you for who you are? Or friends who say they'll miss you and when you visit they can't find the time to get a cup of coffee? No, I figured since I didn't have anyone at home, why not just stay here?" She sighed sadly.

"Well, you could always look at the brighter side of things." I suggested which made her laugh again.

"Phil, I am the most bright sided person in my entire family." Which surprised me. "No one said I could make it here alone and I'd be back in a month."

"How long has it been?" I asked unsure.

"A year." She said disconnectedly

"Well there you go, you proved them wrong now go back." I chirped before rising off the bench. She followed my lead and we walked arm in arm down the now soggy lane, the raining still beating down from above.

"Why do you want me to go back so badly?" She asked

"Because someone as amazing as you doesn't deserve to be alone." I said quickly. She nodded then laughed. "What?" I laughed back.

"Nothing it's a stupid thought." She brushed the idea away.

"Nothing is stupid, come on what is it?" I prompted, she looked slightly guilty as she looked up and suggested with a hopeful look.

"You could be my new family; you, Dan and the baby, if there is one. And if there isn't, I could try to be helpless so you and Dan could practice or something..." She trailed off as she analyzed my face while I thought about it. Me, Dan and Jennifer, the trio to deal with or Me, Dan and the baby with Jennifer in case of emergencies.

"Aunt Jennifer." I chuckled at the thought but she looked desperate at the thought, wanting it more than anything else in the world.

"Will you please talk to Dan?" she questioned hopefully. I was surprised at this.

"Why do you want to be part of our family? It's so..." I tried to look for the right word. "Damaged." She looked shocked I would choose such a harsh word but it was the best one I could think of. I thought of how far Dan was from himself lately.

"And you want me to give you a child to bring your damaged family closer together?" She wondered out loud while placing a hand softly on her midriff before she ran off into the rain.

"No that's not what I meant!" I called after her, but she and I both knew, it wasn't true. I thought that a baby could bring Dan back to me and was that so bad? To bring the man that I loved back to me through the gift of life? As I ran after Jennifer I realized what this meant to her.

She was giving up her womb to give us a life that we wanted so badly it didn't matter who we hurt in the process. Even if it meant hurting the infant that she wanted for her own.

"I'm sorry!" I called after her. She stopped running to catch her breathe which gave me a chance to catch up to her.

"Promise me something." She growled while we huffed for air.

"Anything." I gasped.

"Promise me you and Dan won't be a broken family. I can't just give you a baby knowing it will be in a broken home." Tears filled her eyes again. "I have been there, Phil. I don't want this baby suffering like I did. I want it to come home and tell its daddies about its day and have Dan helping it with its homework while you cook supper. No nights wondering what its other daddy is doing while the first is in the room over crying about his loneliness. I can't have this baby dealing with that like I did!" She screamed at me. I was completely speechless but managed to hold her together as best I could as she fell apart.

"I promise that this baby won't go through what you went through." My lips promised before my brain could realize what was going on.

"Thank you." She mumbled before rubbing her eyes then a curious look washed over her. "Do you know the nearest sushi bar?" She asked which caused me to look at her with confusion. "I mean I could really go for some sushi right now." We continued to walk down the path then she added. "Maybe some ice cream too."

"You're so random." I laughed as the skies cleared up leaving a rain soaked path before and behind us. But the day was now freshened, all be it dampened; the world was our oyster.

"Do you know if they sell seafood flavored ice cream nearby?" She asked. I shook my head and wrapped an arm around her affectionately to which she smiled and whispered. "Thank you."

"For what?" I inquired.

"For being there." She answered, but I wasn't sure if she was answering for herself or the baby. Either way, I replied with.

"You're welcome."


	6. Chapter 6

"A true queen doesn't receive thorns." The changing leader smiled down at Dixie's torn and broken body who was crying at the pain.

"Stop it." I growled at the changing who snapped up its face and hissed at me then came closer to speak to me, stepping over Dixie's mangled body.

"Anything you wish my queen." It spoke softly then bent low as did other copies and unchanged cchangings.

"Why are you even in this world?" I asked coldly to which they all chuckled as if I didn't know a private joke.

"Because this world is so messed up as it is that what little love it has is delicious and scarred to us." It licked its lips at the thought. That makes senses I thought sadly then another thought came to me.

"What even brought you here? How did you find me?" I felt anger building up inside of me but tried to control it as the copy of Sterling answered.

"Our old queen was trying to find a way into this sad world anyways and she needed some... Test subjects so she called me to her court to see if their were any traitors to her. I wrote them on a paper and she made a spell that drew them into this mirror. Unfortunately, she saw me as a traitor myself for betraying my own kin, and threw me into the mirror as well. We all ended up in an alley and tried to force ourselves back into the mirror but couldn't, that's when we found her." He nodded back at Dixie. "She wasn't queen material we knew, but she was perfect for manipulation. So she did as we asked by telling her that she would be a great queen once this was all over. And that was that." He smiled back at me like I was a prize. "We recognized you from your visit in Equestria, word spreads when a new princess comes to power." He explained then moved a trouble some hair from in front of my face to behind my ear, where he hand lingered. "And we knew you would be the perfect queen to us." I yanked my face away from his hand.

"And what makes you think that I'll go through with it?" I inquired, the grin that came across its face was cold and savage.

"You asked how we knew you were here?" I nodded confused. It back down the stairs and ushered a group in the back to come forwards. There were two copies of my principal carrying a struggling, tall form in between themselves, I didn't know who it was because there was a cloth mask covering his face but the sinking feeling in my stomach told me who it was. "We found you through love you felt for this person." The copies stopped in front of me and removed the mask as the leader held up his hand.

Sterling's eyes adjusted to the light and I gasped at the black eye that was now around his right eye.

"What did you do to him?" I snapped angrily and tried to rise but vines suddenly popped up around my wrists and held me fast. They didn't hurt, but they stopped me from moving at all.

"What can we say? He's a fighter." The leader hissed unamused as Sterling struggled and tried to find even though his arms were held behind his back.

"Stop it you." One of the principals warned but he didn't and the other copy punched him in the stomach, knocking the air out of him completely, making him sink to the ground. They didn't hold him up and let him sink to the floor as he tried to regain his breathe.

"Stop don't hurt him!" I roared but that was all I could do what with these evil, green and blue vines holding me back. The leader looked up and grinned evilly before grabbing the back of Sterling's now rumpled dress shirt and hoisting him up for all to see.

"I think this one will be our test subject. What do you all think?" The other changings cheered in agreement and the leader turned to the principal copies. "Go get the machine." As they left, Sterling seemed to have regained his strength and pushed off the leader's grip then ran towards me.

"Jenna!" He reached out for me as I started crying from relief to know that he still wanted me and know this wasn't my fault.

"Sterling!" I called in reply wanting to reach but unable to. Just as he stretched out and grasped my restrained hand, some other changings came and used their horns to threaten him backwards. When he went to push past them, their horns lit up and he was now floating but he was angry still.

"Let me go!" He tried to kick out but they seemed to tighten their glowing grip and he started grimacing in pain instead of struggling against the magic that held him aloft.

"What are you going to do to him?" I asked tears streaming down my face despite myself. The leader came back and held a hand out towards a large hidden object.

"Behold," One changing ripped the cloth from the object in one fluent motion. "The portal to Equestria." It was a bubbling liquid mirror that was dark and mysterious with a rod sicking out of its peak. Coming out of the rod was a cable that went out of sight. The mirror's surface was a black and blue liquid that seemed alive. "This is a recreation of the portal of the one our old Queen had." The leader smiled proudly as if the work was his own. "And with the power of the mirror in the alley, this mirror might be a bridge to and from this world and that. Or..." He didn't finish the thought as he gazed upon the mirror oh so proudly.

"Or what?" I asked unsure I even wanted the answer.

"Or it could be a death trap." He finished refusing to look away from the bubbling murky mirror. I gasped and renewed tears began to form as I looked at the now scared Sterling. Finally, the leader turned away and smiled at Sterling. "Ready to go on the trip of your life?" The other changings chuckled at his dark humor. Both of our eyes opened wider as Sterling was hovered towards the mirror's inky unknown.

"No, no please, spare him, send me instead." I begged feeling overwhelmingly powerless and small. But the vines wrapped tighter around me and even gagged me with their thickness as one wrapped around my skull.

"We can't send you, we need you." The leader explained before nodding for the changings to continue thrusting Sterling into the mirror. As he was edged closer and closer, the bubbling surface opened like a whirlpool revealing an empty darkness. Suddenly a light flipped on at the other end of the tunnel that the dark swirling mass caused. I couldn't make it out but it looked something like Equestria. I knew my time was slipping to attempt to even save him or at least give words of encouragement. So I used all my might to unhinge my jaw enough to bite down on the living vines. They reacted as I had hoped and let their gripe loose and fail completely.

"Sterling!" Everyone turned in shock to see me. "Find Twilight, she'll help you." I urged just before the vines reached up again and wrapped around my mouth again but I managed one last thing through the tears and struggle: "I love-" Was all that got out before the vine tightened its grip over my mouth and I could no longer speak. But I thought I saw Sterling's eyes glint with a happiness before the surface sucked him in then swallowed him up completely. "No!" I screamed in muffled defeat then let all the weight of the world close in on me and could no longer hold myself up. The vines assisted in setting me straight in the terrible throne again.

I felt, for the first time in a very long time, that I was in control of nothing at all and I was lost in a sea of powerlessness, at the mercy of the unforgiving waves.


End file.
